While slowing entering a narrow, very shallow channel in Pocasset, MA under power in our F40/40, my wife heard a whirring noise in the cabin. I went down to investigate and within a minute or so the cabin started filling with noxious smoke. We dropped anchor, put the transmission in neutral and shut off the engine. I checked the oil and coolant levels, all were normal. The engine had been on for maybe 5-10 minutes as we dropped the sails to enter the winding channel in 20-23kt winds. Trying to start the engine, nothing. As the conditions were rowdy, we were dragging into the shallows, and the cabin was filled with smoke, I could not investigate the cause further. Had to sail off the anchor into deeper water and a get a tow into 25-30kt head winds and 6-8 ft seas to our home mooring as it was getting dark. The smoke smelled electrical to me, so I’m thinking the starter went, but could it be a seized transmission? The engine is a Yanmar 3JH2-TBE with a Kanzaki transmission. We’re off the boat now, so I can’t do further checking (I will ask the yard to look into it), but what do you folks think? I suppose replacing a starter is not too hard, but a transmission is a different matter.
That sounds like a stuck on starter to me. I had the same thing happen two summers back. If it was the transmission you would have felt it at the helm, even in rough seas. My guess is that when you started the motor, the starter’s solenoid didn’t disengage and it just kept running. In that 5-10 minutes it cooked itself, which resulted in the whirring your wife heard and the smoky cabin. You tried to start the engine again, but the cooked starter wouldn’t turn. If it was the transmission, you would have at least heard the starter engage and bind up when you pushed the start button. There also wouldn’t have been a whirring sound or an electrical smell, just the expensive sound of grinding gears.
Also: the fact that you could shift into neutral is another vote against the transmission as the culprit.
If you know or figure out an easy way to replace the starter on a 40/40, please let me know. I want to replace mine as it’s probably 30+ years old, but it looks absolutely buried.
Having been there, seen that, done that, I completely agree with RadioZephyr’s answer. Of course, this happened to me in Venezuela just after 9/11, and I had to ship the starter via truck from California to Miami where it went onto a freighter, as there was no air freight flying. 28 days later it made it to me. After that, I always carry a spare starter.
Note, that removing the starter will require several long socket wrench extension, and a lot of swearing.
Also, replace the switch on the panel. If it happened once, it will happen again. Also, figure out a way to protect the panel from (salt) water. We placed a sheet of Strataglass over the panel with 4 snaps to keep water off of it. Spray it it WD40 yearly.
Can you explain that last bit about replacing the switch on the panel? Are you saying the switch on the panel got stuck, and that’s why the starter burned out? Are you talking about the ignition key switch?
BTW, the yard mechanic looked at it and confirmed that the starter is burned out.
Geoff is suggesting that the start switch/key has corroded and got stuck in the “start” position when you pushed/turned it. That’s certainly possible. The other possibility is that the starter solenoid (the little cylinder that’s piggybacked on the starter motor) got stuck in the closed position by itself—that is, it was energized briefly when you started the engine, but when 12V was removed from the coil the plunger didn’t retract and kept the motor connected. Either one would cause the same result.
If your engine panel uses a key to start, I would think the former is less likely. You would have noticed that when you turned the key to start, it didn’t spring back when you released it. If it’s a button start, there’s a better chance that you wouldn’t notice if the button didn’t spring back after pressing it. Either way, it’s a good idea to disconnect the wiring and check the start connection with a multimeter on continuity mode. Make sure it disconnects cleanly. Spray it all with WD-40 or pack with dielectric grease.
So, returning to our harbor yesterday, I turn the start key - nothing. A few more tries - nothing. The starter was recently replaced. I check all the battery switches, start battery voltage (13.3V), it all seems normal. After a few minutes of sailing around, I try it again, and it starts right up!
I guess it’s time to replace the starter switch, as it must be acting up?
I just replaced my ignition switch due to the same problem. Take a good picture of all those wires.. once its all apart it is hard to remember which one went where
I needed to replace my starter in a 33 cat/ketch. I made a stud that screwed into the bellhousging which the starter could hang on while replacing the lower bolt. I cut the head of a 15mm bolt, sloted the end of the bolt which made it easy to instal and remove it in the bellhosing.
hope this helps
Erik